Heart Over Mind
by Alison Hart-Burnett
Summary: Flint deals with the emotional rollercoaster as his life is turned upside down yet again.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: Heart Over Mind – Chapter 1?**

Author: Becky

Archive: Ask first / Yes

Email: I do not own the GI Joe, Marvel, Image, and Hasbro does (lucky them). I have nothing so please do not sue.

Summary: You'll just have to read to find out.

Rating: PG-13

Feedback: PLEASE! I want to know if I should continue this.

Warnings: Some adult language.

Notes: A special thanks to Amykay and Calcitrix for the beta. You two are wonderful.

HEART OVER MIND - CH 1?

Flint lay down in bed. Sleep eluded him yet again, as it had been doing for the past 18-months since his cherished wife was killed saving him from that psychotic bitch, Dela Eden. God, he missed her so much. His life was hell now that she was gone. She never knew it, and he would have never admitted it before but she had been his anchor, his rock of stability. He felt a part of him die when that bald maniac plunged a piece of metal into Lady Jaye's upper abdomen, killing her instantly when it severed her descending aorta. 

Flint got up out of bed and went into his little kitchenette area and opened the refrigerator. It was almost bare. Lady Jaye had always kept food in the house for them. He never went to the store. He found that habit hard to break. All that was in there was a bottle of ketchup and a 12-pack of beer. He closed the door and went to the cupboard and pulled out a bottle of whiskey instead and drank right from the bottle. It would be another night of drinking until he passed out.

Flint took the bottle with him into the living room and sat down on the couch. The television was across the room from him, but, like always, he left it off. He looked up at the picture on the top of the set. It was the first picture taken of just the two of them. They had just became a couple instead of just a man and woman that slept together. They were both very happy and had their arms around each other.

12 years ago… 

_Flint, Snake Eyes, and Lady Jaye stood outside a New York City hospital where Scarlett lay severely injured with a gunshot wound to the head. Her prognosis wasn't good. Flint and Jaye had lead Snake Eyes outside to get some fresh air after Snakes tried to hit the doctor. _

_Flint was right behind Snakes as they walked out of the waiting room. He laid into him hard. "But I wasn't about to let you pop him one because I'm not about to let you start feeling sorry for yourself and start taking your hurt out on other people. _

_Lady Jaye was right behind Flint. "Let him be, Flint!'_

_Flint seemed to brush her off. "Stay out of this Lady Jaye. Snake Eyes you have to go on with your life, that's what Scarlett would want you to do, you have to be thankful for the time you two had together and not mope over your regrets, all those 'should have dones' like telling her how much you love her, and..."_

_Snake Eyes grabbed a hold of Flint by his shoulder and spun him around to face Lady Jaye. Snakes then walked away._

_Flint looked at Jaye, "What did he mean by that?"_

_Jaye blushed slightly as she answered, "I think he was telling you to practice what you preach."_

_Flint stammered a little bit and managed to get out, "Awe, you know how I feel about ya babe…" He rubbed his hand against the back of his head._

_Flint caught a momentary look of hurt in her emerald green eyes before it cleared and she put on a smile. "Sure I do."_

_End Flashback_

Flint shook his head as if to clear it from the memory. He didn't understand it at the time what Snake Eyes meant. Now he did. Before he could do anything else the world around him went black as the alcohol in his system overwhelmed him.

Flint woke up to the sun shining right in his eyes and moaned as his head throbbed from the hangover. He slowly got up and took a quick shower after noticing he was almost late for duty. He put on a clean uniform and left.

Flint tried to avoid everyone as much as possible. They kept telling him that it would get better but what the fuck did they know about it. They weren't in his shoes, going through what he was going through. He was tired of living and wanted so bad for some Cobra to end his pathetic existence on a mission, but death kept eluding him.

Flint managed to make it through another day thanks to the help of his babysitter, Stalker. He mentally cursed the man who was constantly at his side during battle. If it weren't for him he would be with Jaye right now. Without even so much as a farewell to anyone Flint once again returned to his apartment. He noticed the bottle of whiskey on the coffee table and sat down again.

Flint opened the photo album on the coffee table in front of him. It hurt him so much to look in there but he couldn't help himself. They were so happy that beautiful spring day when they were married. Everyone was there to hear them say their life vows to each other.

Flint was lost deep in thought when suddenly he heard loud explosions around him and his world went dark.

TO BE CONTINUED


	2. Dungeon

Flint groaned as he woke up and looked around the dark, dank room he was in. There was some sort of helmet on the floor. A machine that was sparking was up against the wall behind a prison style bed with a disgusting looking mattress. Flint pulled himself up off the floor slowly. His head felt like he had been in a head on collision with a Mack truck. Once he was on his feet he had to steady himself as dizziness overwhelmed him.

"I must have been captured," Flint said to himself as he continued to look around the room. There were no windows and the walls were damp. It reminded him of a dungeon from a cheesy romance novel. There was a lone door with a barred window with no glass. "Why couldn't they have killed me?" Flint asked, his depression still prominent in his thoughts. "I could be with her now if they would just get it over with."

Flint heard shouting and the distinct sound of close quarters combat. He figured his team was there to rescue them. He knew he didn't deserve their loyalty to him. He had treated them all badly since Lady Jaye's death.

The sound of fast paced footsteps could be heard coming down the hall. He looked up to see the very familiar face of Scarlett looking through the window. "I found him!" she yelled as she tried the keys they had just taken off the guard. As she continued to work on the lock, many of the team gathered around her. After several tries she finally managed to find the key that disabled the lock and the electrical system to the door. "Come on, we don't have much time," Scarlett ordered. "We need to get you out of here."

The trip up from the dungeon Flint was held in was not as eventful as the trip down; they had taken out most of the enemy on the way down. The few they did come across were taken out swiftly and easily. Flint was still in a daze when they got to the surface. Duke was standing by the waiting Tomahawk and gestured for them to hurry. Once all were on board Wild Bill took off. Duke looked at his long time friend. "We have been looking for you for a long time old buddy."

"H…how long?" Flint asked through the hands that were covering his face, as he leaned forward against them trying desperately to clear his head.

"Six months," Duke answered as he put his hand on Flint's shoulder.

Flint looked up at Duke. "Six months?" he asked in disbelief.

"Yeah Dash. The Red Shadows have had you that long."

TO BE CONTINUED…


	3. Suprise

Flint had finally awakened to find Lifeline standing over him checking out the equipment attached to his patient. "E…Edwin?"

Lifeline looked down at his friend. "Welcome back, Dash." His facial features showed his relief.

The door to his hospital room opened but it was situated so that a privacy curtain blocked Flint's view of who was coming in. Lifeline looked over at who it was and smiled. "I will be back in to check on you later. I'll leave you two alone." Flint could hear Lifeline whisper something to whoever was by the door then the door shut.

Soft foot steps could be heard coming into the room. Flint looked over at who had come to visit him. He couldn't believe his eyes and thought for sure his mind was playing cruel tricks on him.

Lady Jaye rushed to his side. "Oh baby." She cried as the tears rolled down her cheeks. She embraced him. "We have been looking for you."

Flint reacted by pushing her off of him and to the floor roughly. "Who the hell are you?"

Lady Jaye flinched as she scooted a little to the chair by the wall to help her up. "What are you talking about?" She asked in confusion and hurt. "I'm your wife." She went to take a step towards him after she got to her feet. "Honey…" She reached out her hand to caress his cheek.

Flint roughly grabbed it, twisting it and with strength he didn't think he had at that moment shoved her against the wall. Lady Jaye hit hard.

Lifeline came running in with two nurses. "What the hell…" He didn't finish his question as he saw Lady Jaye slumped against the wall on the floor and in obvious pain. "Get Psyche-Out down here STAT!" He ordered one nurse as he bent down in front of Lady Jaye, the other nurse with him. "What the hell did you do to her!" Lifeline ordered.

"That is not my wife!" Flint yelled.

"Yes she is. How can you say that?" Lifeline asked angrily, not taking his eyes off Lady Jaye. He moved to the side slightly and Flint noticed that Lifeline was feeling Jaye's stomach…Jaye's swollen stomach.

Flint's eyes widened and was trying to get up when Psyche-Out, Roadblock and Duke came rushing in and held him down while a nurse restrained Flint with handcuffs to the bed.

TO BE CONTINUED…


	4. PsycheOut

Psyche-Out walked into Flint's hospital room and sat down across from him. "I hear you had a little problem this morning."

Flint refused to look at Psyche-Out. "That is not my wife." Flint's voice was dull and flat.

"Why do you say that?" Psyche-Out asked as he took notes in a file on his lap.

Flint finally turned his head to look at Psych-Out. "Because I saw her die. I went to her funeral. She's been dead for over a year!" He was getting upset. Why didn't anyone believe him?

"No, the Red Shadows ran you off the road six months ago and captured you. Lady Jaye tried to get to you but she didn't get to you in time." Psyche-Out's voice was calm and patient.

"But I remember…"

"No what you remember are the fake memories that machine you have been hooked to implanted into your mind. I had hoped they had only started using that machine. I see now I was wrong."

Flint ran a hand over his face as if wiping something off of it. "Oh God," he whispered.

"Alison hasn't given up hope of finding you. She kept looking on her own until we had to secure her here at the base. She wanted you back before the baby came."

Flint looked at him again. "How is…"

"Alison is resting right now in a private room. I cannot tell you where yet."

"Why?" Flint sounded hurt.

"We need to make sure no more of these outbursts will occur first."

"Is she…"

"She and the baby are alright. She just needs to be on bed rest for a few days as a precaution."

Flint's heart was breaking. He had hurt the person that meant more to him than his own life and all because of what the Red Shadow's had done to him. "What have I done?"

"You did what any of us would have done in your place. You lashed out at what you believed was an imposter."

"T…tell her…"

"What Dashiel?"

"Tell her I'm sorry I hurt her. Tell her that I love her." Flint's voice was barely audible.

It hurt Psyche-Out deeply to hear this big strong man like that. "I will. Get some rest and I'll be back later to check on you." With that he left, leaving Flint to figure his way out of his confusion.


	5. Searching

Flint had woken up in the middle of the night. He looked around the room. It was all dark except for the light coming from his bathroom. He slowly got out of bed and walked to the bathroom wanting to take a shower. Lifeline had seen to it that the nurses had some scrubs set out for him along with the various toiletry items he would need. She slowly stripped off the hospital gown and started the shower. He looked at himself in the mirror and didn't like what he saw. He looked gaunt. He needed to shave, but he would do that later. He shook his head then jumped in the shower.

Flint's mind began to wander as he stood there letting the hot water run over him. Memories of their honeymoon came flooding to him. Images of him taking her against the shower wall as each of them washed the salt water from their bodies.

Flint shook his head again to clear it then proceeded with his shower. After he was done he got out of the shower and wrapped the small towel around his waist, it barely fit. He went over and wiped the fog off the mirror and shaved. Once he was done he grabbed the fresh clothing and walked back into his hospital room and slowly got dressed.

Flint couldn't get his wife off his mind. He needed to see her, to reassure himself that she was indeed all right. He walked over to his hospital room door and looked out into the hallway and saw that only one nurse sat at the nurse's station and she was distracted by something she was reading. He left his room and started wandering hoping to find her on his own. He didn't think Lifeline or Psyche-Out would help him after what happened the last time he saw her.

He wandered for over an hour and was now three floors below his floor when he finally found her room. He stood in the door way and looked at her. She was laying on her left side with her right arm over her swollen belly. He groaned softly and cursed himself when he saw that her right arm was in a cast. He took a deep breath and walked into her room and looked around. He could hear the soft blip, blip of the fetal monitor. He smiled when he saw that the baby had a good heart rate. He watched the monitor with a soft smile and didn't notice that Lady Jaye had woken up.

Jaye lay there watching him for several minutes before Flint noticed her. He thought for sure she would look at him with hate after what he had done to her but instead of hate he saw concern and love. He reached down and caressed her cheek. "I'm so sorry Allie."

Jaye put her hand on his. "Don't be. Psyche-Out told me what happened." She smiled at him and patted the bed behind her. "You look tired, come lay down."

Flint slowly laid down with his wife and snuggled up to her as best he could. He wanted to say so much but almost immediately he fell asleep and Jaye was right behind him.

Lifeline and Psyche-Out ran to Lady Jaye's room hoping that she was all right. When they didn't fine Flint in his room the expected the worst. When they rushed into the room they stopped dead in their tracks and backed out.

"Let's leave them for tonight." Lifeline said to Psyche-Out. "I'll have the nurses keep an extra eye on them."

Psyche-Out agreed. "They found his weakness and used it against him. But now that is the key to his healing."

They walked off and left the married couple to sleep.


	6. Implanted Memories

Flint laid there on the ground, severely wounded. He could hear the bald woman say something to him as she pointed a gun at his head, but he couldn't make out her words. His mind was too cloudy from the pain. Someone must be behind him cause he saw the woman look up. Then suddenly he saw a flash of black and olive green above him and the woman was thrown to the ground. He looked over and saw his wife. She was standing over the bald woman who was now unconscious.

Flint watched as his wife came back over to him and they held each other for a few minutes until she said something about securing the prisoner.

Lady Jaye got up and walked over to the prisoner. Flint tried to yell out to her when he saw the bald woman stirring but he couldn't. It was like slow motion as he watched the woman take a piece of his vehicle and slam it into his wife's gut, killing her instantly.

Flint jerked awake and sat upright in the bed. He was slowly regained his sense of place when he heard the soft steady blips from the fetal heart monitor. He looked down at his wife's pregnant form only to see her looking up at him with her emerald eyes full of concern and love for him.

"You alright Dash?" Jaye asked him in a soft voice.

Flint smiled down at her trying to hide the raging emotions this dream left him from her. "I'm fine now that I know you are alive and well."

Jaye rolled over on her other side facing him. "You were dreaming about…"

Flint touched her cheek and smiled before kissing her softly on the forehead. "Let's not talk about that." He then kissed her lovingly on the lips. He deepened the kiss when he felt her wrap her arms around his neck. His hand roamed down to her belly and stopped when he felt the belts and the heart sensors strapped to her swollen belly. He forced himself to pull away from her. His hand never left her stomach. He was looking at her intently. "How far?"

"7 Months."

Flint lifted up her hospital gown and kissed her stomach and was rewarded with a firm kick. He looked up at Jaye with a proud smile on his face. "That's my little one."

"Girl." Jaye corrected. "Little girl."

Flint quickly went up to her face again and kissed her deeply. When they broke apart the raw emotions he was feeling could be seen in his eyes. "I love you so much."

Jaye caressed his cheek. "I know. I love you too." They cuddled together, holding onto each other tightly until they fell asleep again.


	7. Epilogue

The past two months had been hard on the Fairbornes as Flint went through some pretty intense deconditioning. The first month back had been hell. He had to spend that month in the hospital so that Psyche-Out could monitor him constantly. Lady Jaye came up everyday and spent the day with him.

After a month Psyche-Out released Flint with therapy sessions every day for 2 hours. Jaye went with him for those as well. She would be in the room until she could sense that it was too hard for him to be in there and then she would leave and wait outside.

The first day he was home with his beloved wife they made love slowly and passionately, both holding onto each other as if their lives depended on it. That was a month ago.

Today Flint paced back and forth in the hospital room again. He was a bundle of nerves. Jaye wasn't helping this time. She was yelling at him quite often. She was breathing heavily as another wave of intense pain hit her. The contractions were getting stronger each time. They tried to give her an epidural but it wouldn't take.

Flint walked over and took Jaye's hand. She squeezed it harder than he thought she was able. He could have sworn he heard a bone crack.

Jaye's eyes were closed tightly and she was obviously cursing at him in what appeared to be several different languages.

Flint comforted her the best he could by letting her squeeze his hand, running his other hand through her hair, kissing her forehead and whispering reassurances to her.

Lifeline walked in. "Let's see how you are progressing shall we?"

"Touch me and die!" Jaye growled at the team's Medic.

Lifeline just chuckled as he put on the latex glove. "Alright put your heels together then lay your knees apart."

Jaye glared at him but did as he asked. She looked at Flint. "This is all your bloody fault!"

"Hey honey, it took the two of us remember." Flint said as he kissed her head again.

"Shut up!"

Lifeline checked Jaye's cervix. "Alright you are fully dilated. How about we bring this baby into the world."

"It's about time!" Jaye growled.

Jaye pushed for a long time. The baby was finally starting to crown. "She's got auburn hair just like her momma!" Lifeline exclaimed. "Keep pushing."

"Come on baby, push!" Flint encouraged.

Jaye grabbed a hold of Flint's shirt and pulled him to her. "YOU ARE NEVER EVER TOUCHING ME AGAIN!" She yelled then pushed as hard as she could.

Lifeline chuckled softly as he helped to guide the baby's head out so she didn't come out too fast. Once he had the head out he immediately started suctioning the nose and mouth. "Head's out!" Lifeline said. "The hard part's over."

Jaye leaned back, partly against the bed and partly against Flint. She was sweating heavily and panting.

"You're doing wonderfully." Flint encouraged and held her to him.

"Alright push." Lifeline ordered.

Jaye pushed again. First the left shoulder came out then the right one followed.

"Alright one more push and you'll bring your daughter into this world." Lifeline said as he held out to the already exposed top part of the baby.

Jaye pushed with all she had and the baby quickly came out. Lifeline laid the tiny girl on Jaye's abdomen. Jaye started crying as she reached out and touched her newborn.

A tear escaped from Flint's eye too as he caressed the baby's face. "She's beautiful." He kissed Jaye lovingly.

The nurse picked up the baby. "I'll bring her right back." She said and walked away to the warming table.

Flint and Jaye watched as they cleaned up their little bundle of joy and did the vitals. "APGAR is 9." The nurse said over her shoulder.

"That's very good." Lifeline informed the new parents.

"Weight 6 pounds and 8 ounces." The nurse called over her shoulder. "19 inches long."

Lifeline walked over and took the now clean baby from the nurse and handed her back to her parents. "What's her name?"

"Marissa…Marissa Rae Faireborn." Jaye answered as she held her new baby to her. Flint held on to his two girls and once again kissed the momma on the lips.

"I'll leave you three alone." Lifeline said and went out to let those waiting know that the newest member of the Joe team had arrived.

Flint squeezed Jaye tightly.

Jaye looked at Flint. "You okay?" She asked as she wiped away a tear that was slowly making it's way down Flint's cheek.

"Yeah. There was a time I thought none of this was ever going to happen." He kissed her forehead then leaned his cheek against her head. "But now that I have all of this I am the happiest man in the world."

THE END


End file.
